News Digest

TV comedian leads race for Guatemala presidency as voters weary of corruption

A TV comedian is leading the race to become the next president of corruption-plagued Guatemala. With about 51% of polling stations reporting, Jimmy Morales, who has never held elective office, was leading with 26.5% of the vote. He was followed by businessman and longtime politician Manuel Baldizon, with about 18%, and ex-first lady Sandra Torres, with about 17%. If no candidate in the field of 14 gets a simple majority, the top two finishers would advance to a run-off to be held October 25.

Guatemala wants change and to not be governed by people with dark pasts

Jimmy Morales

The vote comes at the end of a week which has seen president Otto Perez Molina resign after being held in court custody. His vice-president Roxana Baldetti is also in custody, accused of being involved in a customs kickback scheme. Many people are so skeptical that they campaigned for voters to wear black clothes of mourning, abstain or for the election to be postponed to give them a new crop of choices. The early favourite was Mr Baldizon, a wealthy 44-year-old businessman and longtime politician, while Ms Torres divorced her husband so she could get round a ban on standing. Also in the running is Zulia Rios, the daughter of a former president accused of genocide.

I see a government that is going to be much more monitored by Guatemalan society, and I think that’s great. … Today we Guatemalans are coming out with courage to denounce acts of corruption.

Businessman Salvador Paiz